http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article.../805210400/1049
*snip*
It's 2008. Martz has been fired and is in San Francisco. Furrey and McDonald have stayed in Detroit, and new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto has a different approach.
What roles will Furrey and McDonald play?
"I don't think we'll be as much of a focal point as we were in that offense," McDonald said Tuesday after the first day of the Lions' mandatory minicamp. "But I can definitely see where I'm going to fit in there and see some of the routes that they've got. It's going to be a good year, I think."
Colletto has simplified the playbook and plans to run more than Martz did. He also plans to throw to his big outside threats -- 6-3, 212-pound Roy Williams, the seventh overall pick in 2004, and 6-5, 239-pound Calvin Johnson, the second overall pick in '07.
Furrey and McDonald will have smaller roles but still significant ones, according to Colletto. Three- and four-wide receiver sets remain in the playbook.
"All that part of the game is still there," Colletto said earlier this off-season. "It's just the numbers of plays are going to be diminished greatly. Those two guys are still going to figure in what we're doing. We want to be able to change constantly."
Colletto said on first-and-10 the Lions won't always trot out two running backs, two wide receivers and a tight end. They will mix up their personnel groups, even if they stick with the same stuff.
"It's going to change," Colletto said. "But the plays won't change."
Under Martz, opponents didn't respect the Lions' running game and would keep their safeties deep. They would bracket Williams and Johnson. That forced the ball underneath to Furrey and McDonald.
Under Colletto, the Lions hope opponents will respect the running game and drop a safety into the box, opening the field for Williams and Johnson.
McDonald doesn't think that will always happen, though. Teams might still want to take away Williams and Johnson, leaving catches for McDonald and Furrey.
"We've just got to see," McDonald said. "I think some teams will still try to play us like they did last year. It's going to change, I think, weekly."
Colletto also plans shorter drops for his quarterbacks. The ball could come out quickly to the slot receiver.
"I still think the slot's going to be a factor in the game," said McDonald, who is sitting out after minor knee surgery, but should be 100% for training camp. "Every team, if you've got a good slot that's working, that's hard on the defense."
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I agree with McDonald's statement that a slot WR can still be productive even if in on less plays, especially one the QB seems to have alot of confidence in.
Two Qs-
IF you take it as a battle of Furrey vs McDonald for the slot, who wins.
Also, figuring Martz is installing the exact same offense in SF, who reaps the rewards as their 3rd and 4th?
Starters are Isaac and Bryant, right? So Arnaz Battle and Hill?
*snip*
It's 2008. Martz has been fired and is in San Francisco. Furrey and McDonald have stayed in Detroit, and new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto has a different approach.
What roles will Furrey and McDonald play?
"I don't think we'll be as much of a focal point as we were in that offense," McDonald said Tuesday after the first day of the Lions' mandatory minicamp. "But I can definitely see where I'm going to fit in there and see some of the routes that they've got. It's going to be a good year, I think."
Colletto has simplified the playbook and plans to run more than Martz did. He also plans to throw to his big outside threats -- 6-3, 212-pound Roy Williams, the seventh overall pick in 2004, and 6-5, 239-pound Calvin Johnson, the second overall pick in '07.
Furrey and McDonald will have smaller roles but still significant ones, according to Colletto. Three- and four-wide receiver sets remain in the playbook.
"All that part of the game is still there," Colletto said earlier this off-season. "It's just the numbers of plays are going to be diminished greatly. Those two guys are still going to figure in what we're doing. We want to be able to change constantly."
Colletto said on first-and-10 the Lions won't always trot out two running backs, two wide receivers and a tight end. They will mix up their personnel groups, even if they stick with the same stuff.
"It's going to change," Colletto said. "But the plays won't change."
Under Martz, opponents didn't respect the Lions' running game and would keep their safeties deep. They would bracket Williams and Johnson. That forced the ball underneath to Furrey and McDonald.
Under Colletto, the Lions hope opponents will respect the running game and drop a safety into the box, opening the field for Williams and Johnson.
McDonald doesn't think that will always happen, though. Teams might still want to take away Williams and Johnson, leaving catches for McDonald and Furrey.
"We've just got to see," McDonald said. "I think some teams will still try to play us like they did last year. It's going to change, I think, weekly."
Colletto also plans shorter drops for his quarterbacks. The ball could come out quickly to the slot receiver.
"I still think the slot's going to be a factor in the game," said McDonald, who is sitting out after minor knee surgery, but should be 100% for training camp. "Every team, if you've got a good slot that's working, that's hard on the defense."
***********************
I agree with McDonald's statement that a slot WR can still be productive even if in on less plays, especially one the QB seems to have alot of confidence in.
Two Qs-
IF you take it as a battle of Furrey vs McDonald for the slot, who wins.
Also, figuring Martz is installing the exact same offense in SF, who reaps the rewards as their 3rd and 4th?
Starters are Isaac and Bryant, right? So Arnaz Battle and Hill?
